NBA PLUS. NBA REPORT.

Not A Happy Camper

April 02, 2001|BY SAM SMITH.

Everyone expected a disaster with Anthony Mason not only back with Heat coach Pat Riley, who had thrown him off the bench when they were with the Knicks, but near South Beach, where Mason had been arrested. But Mason became an All-Star for the first time in his career.

What was overlooked was the loss of Alonzo Mourning. Without Mourning, the disruptive Mason was allowed to have the offense run through him and stake out low-post territory. But when Mourning returns to center and Brian Grant to power forward, there's a question of whether Mason should even start because Bruce Bowen is the Heat's best perimeter defender along with Eddie Jones.

That's why Mason was the only one who didn't sound all that happy about Mourning's return from kidney disease last week. "What am I supposed to do? Run around yelling?" he said. "We can't help it if we're not doing the same parade ya'll are doing."

And don't think Riley doesn't know. Said Riley: "If everyone is into winning only, it will work out. If there are any egos or people being bent out of shape, we will struggle a little bit."